November 25, 2024

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Girlfriends Coffee Hour!!!

May 5, 2013 by

GCH_Anniversary

 

Woo Hoo!! Happy Anniversary to GCH!!!

1-year ago today, Girlfriends Coffee Hour published its first LIVE Online Bible Study on this website! We had just a few women sign-up for that study, and we had a blast!

Today, GCH, as we all so fondly call it, is now in 150+ Countries across the globe!! Never in a million years would I have ever dreamed that God could use a simple housewife from Southeast Wisconsin to help spread the Gospel!! Many times, I had to be reminded God’s God This!!  Don’t ever think that God can’t use just ordinary people!!  He can, and He will, if you let Him!!

Today, we have 20 women on our Ministry Leadership Team, who help keep this ministry functioning on a daily basis! Thank God, because there is no way this housewife from Wisconsin could do this on her own! I am so very BLESSED by this amazing Team of women who give so graciously of their time, prayers, support, and LOVE!! Truly without these women …. wow!

God has blessed this ministry in so many ways. Each day we dedicate GCH to Him in our prayers, and we give Him thanks for all that He has done, and continues to do.

The scripture that God gave us for this ministry is Proverbs 27:17 (NLT) “…as iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” In this ministry, we are blessed to sharpen each other. We are blessed to hold each other accountable to building our relationship with our Heavenly Father, and being the Leaders that He has called us all to be! We are blessed to have such a Sisterhood in this ministry, where faith, friends, and fellowship flourish in our Fellowship & Study Groups!

I give God all praise, honor, and glory, for Girlfriends Coffee Hour! I hope you will help us celebrate this week! We will be giving away some amazing prizes this week in honor of our anniversary! Stay tuned … on Monday (tomorrow) we will announce the first prize!! These prizes are going to bless your socks off!!

Be sure to leave a comment below to let us know how GCH has been a blessing in YOUR life! We’d love to hear from you!

Thank You ALL so very much for joining us this last year! We hope to see you around for many more years to come!!

May the Good Lord Bless You,

Christi Wilson
Founder of Girlfriends Coffee Hour

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH, Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Girls With Swords: Chapter 3 Weekly Review – “You Might Be A Hero”

April 12, 2013 by

Click Here for Next Week’s Reading Schedule

What a road trip this has been for the five girlfriends—Jennifer, Teresa, Tonya, Diane, and Martha—who started out going to a women’s retreat!  As they traveled down the road toward their destination, their “side-splitting giggles,” suddenly came to a halt as they saw a road sign that read:

Prince of Darkness

 

Voting unanimously to continue their journey, despite knowing they were a TARGET, they realized the key to being victorious in battle against the enemy was choosing the right WEAPON.  To get their thoughts together, they pulled over at a rest stop.

It was here that they had a surprise visit by approximately 125 women.  “We’ve heard about your decision to enter into the Prince of Darkness Territory, and we want to join forces with you,” Christi said.

Much discussion went on between the two groups about the choice of weapon, ranging from the purchase of  heavy artillery guns to God’s Word.  The five girlfriends stood their ground about their choice of weapon—God’s Word.

Finally, Christi stepped up on top of a picnic table, and gave a roaring speech:

“We should be seeing the sick healed, the lame walk, the blind see, cancers falling off of people, lives miraculously changed because of Him!!  We should be laying hands on the sick and through the power of the Holy Spirit, see them become whole again!  We should be spreading the gospel so much more than what we are.”

It was then that the two groups were united and a choice of a weapon was decided upon:  God’s Sword (God’s Word).

After a time of worship under the moonlight in that roadside park, these two groups, who had met as strangers in the night, realized that this had not been a chance meeting. It was as though God, Himself, had ordained this meeting, and they all felt that their previous plans should be canceled, and they were to spend an extended time together.

It was decided that they would check into a nearby campground, and study Lisa Bevere’s book, Girls With Swords, which some of them had brought along with them on their trip.  The others, whipped out their Kindles, and quickly ordered it.

And so it was, on the first night they gathered around the campfire at the campground,  their discussion centered on Chapter 3 in Lisa’s book, You Might Be a Hero. Lisa defined a female hero as:  superwoman, champion, conqueror, star, protagonist, lead, and brave woman.

Jennifer started the discussion off by giving her own personal testimony:

“At age 24, I was told I would never bear a biological child. Too stunned to form a coherent thought, the next eight years of my life went by in a haze of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. I was lost, and there was no light at the end of the tunnel. My lifelong dream was to have a baby who looked like me with my husband who loved me. I had plans! I had dreams! I had hopes! In an instant, all seemed lost.  But, He alone rescued me the moment I turned my burden of infertility over to Him, and decided not to carry it on my back anymore.

Just as Lisa says: “Your journey toward becoming a hero begins when you simply grant God permission to have His way.”

Ladies, I share my story with you because I need for you to know something very important:  “Right now, where you are, you are living part of God’s story.”

Teresa:  I don’t know about you, but when I read Hebrews 11 and recount the heroes of the faith, the last thing I see is ‘nobodies.’

Each of the people listed in the Hall of Faith died not even knowing the impact their life would have on the world.  All they knew was that they were chosen by God to go wherever He asked, do whatever He needed them to do, protect whomever He needed them to protect, feed whoever was hungry, build what He said build, stand when He said stand and FIGHT when God said fight.

THESE are our ancestors.  They passed the torch on to us normal people of God to continue the fight.  This mild-mannered Jesus girl may look ordinary on the outside, but I have a HERO living inside me that needs to save the world.  We cannot lead people spiritually where we have not gone. 

Tonya:  What does it take for us as women to feel like heroes?  Is it our ability to multi-task throughout our day, our ability to utilize the sixth sense that women are said to possess?

It all boils down to this:

Zechariah4_6

Yes, we are called to be heroes in our day, to wield swords, to be superhuman, and to be brave. This can be terrifying. But, our superhuman abilities come from—His Spirit, the power of our sword comes from—His Word and, in times of fear, we need to remember who we can run to, who we answer to—the Lord.

Diane:  Each night before I close my eyes for the day I am reminded of these words: TRUTH, RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, FAITH, and SALVATION  with the words, “live by these, apply these” underneath.

Some days I imagine myself with the prettiest pink, bedazzled sword you could ever imagine.  I picture my perfectly pink armor filled with sparkles, and I get this joy deep down in my heart because I imagine so clearly God’s words and actions of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation covering every inch of that bedazzling pink armor and weaponry He has handpicked for me to use.

Ephesians 6 says:

  1. God is strong, and He wants His daughters to be strong.
  2. His weapons are supreme.
  3. With these weapons in hand, nothing the enemy throws at you will knock you off your course.
  4. You are in a spiritual battle between life and death.
  5. If you prepare now, you won’t be caught off guard.
  6. You can’t do this in your own human strength.
  7. True, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are life’s applications.
  8. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon.
  9. Prayer is not optional.

I picture all of us: swords in hand, shields in place, bedazzled in GOD’S TRUTH, RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE, FAITH, AND SALVATION; standing tall, shouting prayers of all kinds to our Holy God in Heaven, as we leave behind all of Satan’s lies that kept us tied down from the something we have been craving:  God Himself.

 After Diane spoke, other women in the group spoke up:

  • What I loved about Jennifer’s story was that, not only are our lives a gift, but also the story that we are in.  God has already written us into the story of faith heroes—we all have a story He can use.
  • I liked what Lisa said about having to fight a battle more than once to win. Most of us want to give up when we don’t succeed the first time.
  • Tonya’s words were spoken like a true hero.  Sometimes it is hard to remember that we do have the source and strength to be superheroes if we would just ask.
  • I’m not going to be able to envision putting on my armor again without it being pink and bedazzling!

And on into the night, as these women sat around the campfire, many women spoke out about their desire to be a hero. They agreed to meet back the next night to continue their study. This group who were once strangers in their natural habitat, had now been united “in one accord as sisters in Christ.”

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Let’s Pray:  Father God, we are so grateful that You have united us together. As we study Your Word, may we become “doers of Your word, and not just hearers.”  As we do, we rest with assurance that we can quench all the fiery darts of the enemy.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.

*****

If you would like to join us for the “Girls with Swords” Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign-up page.  Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details.  We hope you will join us!

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Captivating: Chapter 12 – “In The World” – “Do Not Give Way to Fear” (pgs 212-215)

March 27, 2013 by

People always talk about their “calling.” It’s such a Christian-ese phrase.  “So what led you to that decision?” “Well, I believe it’s my ‘calling’.”  Now, I’m not trying to put down anyone who may have used this word.  In fact, I use the word often.  Typically, after frustration grips my emotions, I cry to God, “LORD, WHY CAN’T YOU JUST TELL ME WHAT MY CALLING IS! TELL ME WHERE YOU WANT ME TO BE! OPEN THE DOOR ALREADY!”

Once I lose the anger, I remind myself of the truth.  And the truth is this: much like the reasons God allows bad things to happen to us, He may have us in a place we aren’t “called” to be right now because He is preparing us for His plans that are to come.

We can’t see the big picture, but God can.  He has you right where you are for HIS reasoning.  It’s also similar to why you may be single and lonely right now.  God has a reason.  God is preparing you for your “calling” every single day you awake.  He’s preparing your heart for something that is to come that will be so worth the wait, the patience, and the persistence!

So the question remains: how do you find your “calling?” In an effort to help you find that answer, our authors pose the following questions: What is it you yearn to see happen? How do you long for the world to be a better place? What makes you so angry you nearly see red? What brings you to tears?

The answers to those questions are different for each person – praise God! And those answers are the desires within our hearts, desires that God set within us even before we were born. Those answers are invitations.

“They are invitations to bring your heart to your Lover and ask Him to clarify, to deepen, to speak to you about how and when and with whom.”

I am reminded of this passage in Matthew 6:

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet Your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (verses 25-33).

So maybe you know a few answers to the questions above.  What’s keeping you from pursuing them? What’s keeping you from action? For me, Stasi and John hit the nail on the head when they discussed that terrible four letter word: F.E.A.R.

Fear of failure, fear of disapproval, fear of rejection, fear of vulnerability…I could go on.  But all of these fears have one thing in common—They are not from God.

As we have journeyed this book together, I pray that each of you has found who you are in Christ.  You are a strong warrior princess made to share in an adventure, made to serve and to love.  But no warrior princess can realize her own strength and purpose if she hides away in the castle her whole life.  No, we are called to take risks!  Risk the failure, risk the disapproval, risk the rejection, and risk the vulnerability.

Jesus did that.  And if we are called to live like Him, we must live radically, fully entrusting our lives to Christ. One of my favorite authors and inspirational speakers, Bob Goff, states in his book Love Does:

“Every day God invites us on the same kind of adventure. It’s not a trip where He sends us a rigid itinerary, He simply invites us. God asks what it is He’s made us to love, what it is that captures our attention, what feeds that deep indescribable need of our souls to experience the richness of the world He made. And then, leaning over us, He whispers, “Let’s go do that together.”

Ladies, I pray that each of you will live, breathe, and act that verse. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!

2Tim1_7

Praise Him,

Carissa

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Let’s Pray:

Father, I thank You for the life You’ve given each of us. I thank You that You have promised each of us a purpose and to use us to further Your great kingdom.  Father, in our days of doubt, remind us that You use all things (and situations) to Your glory.  Lord, draw close to us, reveal Your plans for our lives to us.  We want to know You and serve You more. Father, in Your time, give us the courage and will to pursue those desires You’ve set deep in our hearts.  We love You so much! In Your precious Name, Amen.

Your Assignment:

Spend time in prayer today, drawing closer to God, asking Him to deepen your desires and reveal His plans for you. He is faithful; He will answer.

Filed Under: Singles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Captivating: Chapter 11 – Warrior Princess Weekly Review

March 22, 2013 by

Girlfriends, after reading this week’s chapter, I cannot wait for our next study to start. I just know that God is preparing us for great, awesome things, and I am certain that we will come out victorious when we follow His plans for our lives. I want to encourage you to sign up for our next study if you have not done so yet.  Go to our sign page located HERE to enroll today!!

On Monday, Jackie’s prayer for us was that we will be prepared to fight our daily battles knowing that we are more than conquerors. Christ won the battle on the cross for us, and we need not fear for THE  BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD. Face each day like a true Warrior Princess. Not only are you beautiful, but you are also wise, cunning, strong, courageous, and victorious.

On Tuesday, Tonya shared with us that emotional attacks in life are very real. These attacks are not limited to our minds, or our hearts, but are aimed at our bodies as well. Satan is out to hurt us, and he will do so at any cost. Although Satan has his ways to try to get us defeated, God’s ways are stronger, more powerful, and made specifically to protect us.

On Wednesday, Carissa wanted to know from us whether we believe that each one of us are warriors in Christ. We have God’s strength to sustain us when we feel we can’t take another step, another breath, another disappointment, another insult, another negative feeling. Talk to God, share with Him, rest in His presence and in His control over things that may seem uncontrollable. Nothing is too much to handle for our God.

On Thursday, Michelle reminded us to remember that we are warriors. Each day we must put on the armor of God to battle the demons that Satan sends our way. No one is immune to it, but the more we prepare ourselves for battle, the better our chances are to conquer the enemy each and every day. Stay strong, be prepared, and depend on God!

Girls, God wants us to succeed! Let’s be strong and equip ourselves with the full armor of God at all times.

Let’s Pray:

Father, thank You for equipping us so that we can be more than conquerors at all times and so that You can get the glory. We love You and need You, Amen.

 

*****

GWS

Sign Up Today!

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“Girls with Swords: How to Carry Your Cross Like a Hero” BEGINS MARCH 25th!

March 22, 2013 by

I am so very excited about this next study “Girls with Swords” by Lisa Bevere! I’ve read up to Chapter 6 so far, and I am telling you—this is one amazing book! All I can say is “Ladies, GET READY!” This book is going to bless your socks off!

If you haven’t enrolled in this amazing study yet, DO SO NOW! You WON’T want to miss this study! Go to our sign-up page located HERE and enroll. Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details!

Until your book arrives, we would like to share Chapter 1 with you now. We really hope you will join us for this amazing study!

Enjoy!

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , ,

Our Next Women’s Online Bible / Book Study Begins March 24th!

March 15, 2013 by

GWS

 

“Lisa Bevere is one of God’s most powerful voices for this time in our history.” — Sheila Walsh, core speaker of Women of Faith

“As you read Girls with Swords, you’ll be empowered to face your challenges with boldness and learn to live like a hero.” — Robert and Debbie Morris, pastors, Gateway Church, Dallas-Ft Worth, TX

“Read this book with fair warning: You are about to engage in a powerfully courageous life!” — Christine Caine, author of Undaunted and co-founder of The A21 Campaign

“In Girls with Swords you will be challenged to join the ranks of Christians who are already moving forward in their faith.  Don’t be taken out of the fight! Stand firm and experience spiritual victory!” — Pastor Steven and Holly Furtick, Elevation Church, Charlotte NC

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I’m a huge Lisa Bevere fan.  I’ve been a fan of hers for years, all the way back to “Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry.”  I had the privilege of seeing Lisa and John in a conference, here in Wisconsin, several years ago.  It was one of the most empowering, invigorating, spiritual conferences I’ve been to!  Lisa and John both have an amazingly strong desire to reach others with the Gospel!

When I first heard about this new book Girls with Swords I knew immediately that I had to get it!  I immediately felt God say “This is your next GCH study!”  Even though we continued to discuss other studies, I always came back to this book!

The day I got the book, I wanted to read it right away; but I put it aside until I could really focus on what I was reading.  I’m so glad I did because this is a book that you don’t want to just skim through.  You will want to study this book!  It is that important!  If you take this book and really study it, it truly will bring you victory!  Promise me that you won’t just skim through this book!  I want  to see victory in your life, just as much as Lisa did when she wrote this book!

So, how do you sign up, you ask?  That’s the easy part!

There are three steps to take to make sure you get the most out of this study:

1) Buy the book.  You will find links on our sign-up page for the hardcopy and the Kindle version of Girls with Swords.

2) Sign Up HERE

3) If you are on Facebook, you will need to send a Friend Request to our GCH Admin, so we can add you to our secret Facebook group where we will dig deeper into this book as a group.  You do not need to be on Facebook to follow along with this study.  BUT, you will get so much more out of it, if you can join our study group!  As soon as you complete the registration process, we will email you further details.

Before I close, I want to share one more thing with you.  This is shared on the inside cover of this book.  It will give you an idea of what you can expect from this book.

“Creatively forging the imagery of swords, the Word of God, and the Cross, Girls with Swords will teach you:

  • How to speak the language of heaven on earth
  • What it means to intercede
  • What it means to carry your cross
  • What it means to be discerning
  • How to disarm the enemy
  • Why women are the enemy’s target-and why God needs them to be heroes

It’s time to take up your sword and be a hero!”

 

We hope you will join us for this amazing study!

 

God’s VICTORY is waiting for YOU!

Christi Wilson, Founder of Girlfriends Coffee Hour

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To send Christi a private email in regards to this website, blog, or ministry, you may email her at: Christi@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Crazy Love: Chapter 9 Weekly Review – “Who Really Lives that Way?”

March 8, 2013 by

WOW!!!! Week 9 of this study has come to a close, and it was a good one.

On Monday, you and I met Nathan Barlow, Simpson Rebbavarapu and Jamie Lang. I also asked you to be a little introspective on Monday and begin to write your story as we learned about these incredible lives for Christ! Then, on Tuesday, Martha introduced us to Marva J. Dawn, Rich Mullins, Rings, and Rachael Saint…as well as a few souls who have impacted her life personally. Jennifer talked about transformer toys on Wednesday and asked us to look at the lives that God has so divinely placed around us and see how we can best impact them for His glory. On Thursday, Donna introduced us to a few more of Chan’s friends and his church as we looked at more lives who are living out God’s will in this earth.

Please take a few minutes to watch this brief video from Francis Chan about this chapter. We only have one more chapter left after this week…let’s finish strong!

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Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, we thank You for all of the wonderful examples of lives furthering Your Kingdom on our earth. Use them to stir a deep passion within us to follow in their footsteps in our own unique way as only we can. Bind up any fear or insecurity that might be holding us back and give us Your supernatural strength to be our best for Your glory! We thank You for Your mighty provision, Father! Help us strengthen each other and propel each other forward as me take this bold step for Your Kingdom!  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. <3

 

Your Assignment:

Who do you look up to? Name some people you look up to as Christians. Then, think about your own life; what type of legacy will you leave behind?  What will you be known for? What do you believe God created you to do on this earth?

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GWS

Our Next Women’s Online Bible Study

Begins March 24th!

CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO SIGN UP TODAY!

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If you would like to email a private message to Megan in regards to this blog, please email her at: megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Life’s Healing Choices: Choice 6 – How do you forgive others and (self)? (pp 171-175)

February 12, 2013 by

If someone had told me two years ago that, in order for me to become well and be healed, I would have to forgive someone that I felt helped get me there in the first place, I would have laughed, and shaken my head ‘no.’  That is exactly what I did, too. Yeah right, I need to forgive someone who hurt me so badly? They are the ones who had broken my heart in so many ways and did not care at all about it, why should I forgive them?  …Because the Bible says you can’t receive what you are unwilling to give: I need to forgive because God has forgiven me.

So how on earth can we do this—forgiving others? Baker gives us the three R’s to show us how.

1. Reveal Your Hurt
2. Release the Offender
3. Replace Your Hurt with God’s Peace

I learned something very important a few years ago when I attempted to write my first resentment list. Turns out about 90% of the people on that list were loved ones. So how on earth can I love someone so much towards who I feel a great deal of anger, bitterness, hurt, and resentment? Baker states, “Perhaps it’s because we have a misconception that you can’t love somebody and be angry at them the same time. The truth is, you can.”

You can’t get over hurt until you admit the pain. Have you been able to do this? I have for years been able to tell my therapist, husband, and some family about people in my life who have hurt me. I have “on the surface,” talked about being angry, disappointed, and hurt by them. Truth is, I never really let myself be real and admit that deep pain inside completely to myself. I did not want to explore those feelings that I HAVE tried to cover up by instead replacing with negative feelings. I had become consumed with resentment over the unfairness of my life.

When I joined this ministry, the first thing I shared was my testimony. I have given my testimony at church about my hurts, hang ups, and habits. In my testimony, I spoke of relationships that hurt me deeply, scars and addictions that stayed with me and held me with chains. They affected me in the way I acted, the way I interacted with others, and the way I identified with who I am. But it was different in this testimony. I actually admitted to myself the truth—the hurt. It was wrong, and it hurt me.

In the beginning, it was not easy revealing my hurts. I felt so vulnerable for a while. It was not easy being honest and revealing the pain I have felt in some situations for over 30 years. I had tried to suppress my emotions for so long.  Doing so only made those hurts in me worse and I therefore became very angry inside. “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” Ephesians 4:31, 32.

After revealing those hurts, it was time to release the offender. How on earth was that going to be possible? I had so much anger toward them that my heart was so hardened. I now understand that I can’t forgive them myself…I needed God’s help. “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.“ Mark 10:27 ESV.  Not only does God want us to forgive, but He wants us to love our enemy who wronged us and hurt us. Whether the person asks for forgiveness or not, you do it for your own sake. I repeat, you release the offender for your own sake. The truth is there will be a time that you and I will need forgiveness in the future.

Let’s look at some things the Lord and His Word say about forgiveness and love. Jesus said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44, 45a). Yet Jesus tells us to love as he did.  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34 ESV).

John13_34

I would like to share with you how I was able to release my offender: I prayed for them. I had much difficulty doing so, but I prayed asking God to help me to even want to forgive them because honestly I did not want to. I did this for a while, and also added in my prayer that I hoped they would have a good day. I started small, but that was enough. God started chipping away at that anger and bitterness I held in my heart toward them. The more I prayed to be able to want to forgive them, the more I could pray to forgive them. Then honestly one morning I woke up to the most unusual feeling inside (that I now understand is peace). My heart for that person was softened and God replaced the bitterness with love. God gave me peace and allowed me to forgive. He released me from that hurt. It’s just one of the amazing miracles He does for us. When we listen and obey, He helps us to love and heal inside. By blessing those who curse us, doing well to those who hate us, and praying for them He also helps us to forgive and love them. I finally started to have compassion for this particular person because I was able to see that he, too, had been hurt in his life (hurting people hurt each other).

That peace I received on the inside had changed me in so many ways. I felt better, I was so proud of myself after finally admitting to myself the truth of how I felt. And through God, I finally loved instead of hated. That’s what God wants for us all. He wants us to love and forgive;  He will help us to do that no matter what the circumstance may be. We may not ever forget what happened, but we will finally be rid of  that misery of resentment that hurt us so badly and had also hurt God. God is love; it’s not easy for us to fully show Him our love, if we don’t show others that love as well. Let’s show Him the love that He deserves. Let’s ask Him today to help us forgive that offender and replace that hurt with the peace He offers us.

Let’s Pray:
Father God, thank You for forgiveness. Thank You for the forgiveness You give to us and for helping us to forgive others who have hurt us. No one is perfect except You, Father. Each one of us needs forgiveness and we need to forgive each other. Thank You, Lord, for this help today as we do this. You bring peace and love; You heal our broken hearts. You are a God of miracles and we are so grateful and praise You for all You do. We love You!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Your Assignment:
On a piece of paper, write down the 3 R’s. Start with that one person who has hurt you the most. Be honest and admit what you feel. Afterward, spend time in prayer asking God to help you release that person.

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If you would like to send a private email to Leslie in regards to this blog, please email her at: Leslie@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

Filed Under: Victorious Healing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Life’s Healing Choices – Chapter 4 Review

February 1, 2013 by
  • Realize I am not God
  • Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him, that He has the power to help me recover
  • Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control
  • OPENLY EXAMINE AND CONFESS MY FAULTS TO MYSELF, TO GOD, AND TO SOMEONE I TRUST
  • V
  • E
  • R
  • Y

 

Matthew5_8

Wow, ladies, after this week I am so glad for that verse – “Happy are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”   The thought that as my heart continues to be refined and purified, I will see God.  As I look around I see Him daily, in the clouds, the flowers, my sons, my work, songs, and in each post and response from all of you amazing women.  God is so good, isn’t He?

The first part of the week we talked about what guilt can do to us:  destroy our confidence, damage our relationships, and keep us stuck in the past.  But through all the guilt, shame, and regrets we may have from our past sins, as we cry out (like David) for God to create that clean and pure heart within us, He is always faithful to forgive and cast our sins as far as the east is from the west.  We begin to chip away at the junk that the past has built up within that heart.

I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden.  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. (Psalm 32:5)

And they shall rebuild the old ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations and repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. (Isaiah 61:4)

Tuesday, Leslie made this challenge: Are you ready to take this step and transform your life?  Are you ready to Make time to begin your inventory? Are you ready to Open your heart and mind to allow the feelings that have blocked your healing and recovery then Rely on God’s grace to complete that healing He has for you?  Are you ready to Analyze your past, step out of your denial of the past and step into the truth of the present? Finally, are you ready to List the events of your past?  Please, please, please make sure you list both the good and the bad choices of your past.  We caution you to not just list the bad; there are good choices you have made that you need to list and praise God for those choices, too.

If we freely admit that we have sinned, we find God utterly reliable and straightforward. He forgives our sin and makes us thoroughly clean from all that is evil. (1 John 1:9) 

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18) 

Wednesday, Kim shared how “more, much more than this” she did it her way, as many of us have and may still be trying.  However, there is a time to realize we cannot move forward until we let go of our past by confessing our past to someone else and to our Heavenly Father.  We need to have an accountability partner, someone you can trust and who understands what you are saying is valuable, as a treasure to be handled with care.  Someone who will not sit with their jaw dropped as you speak or gasp when you bear your heart.  And finally someone who knows the Lord, who will be your friend, as well as accountability and prayer partner.

I sought the Lord and He answered me, and He delivered me from my fears. (Psalm 54:4)

Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the Heavenly prize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling us. (Philippians 3:13, 14)

Amy closed us out with praying for God’s help through this.  We need to armor up and tap into His power in order to “examine our ways and test them.”  When you begin to write your inventory remember five areas: the person whom you resent or fear; the specific actions that was related to that person; what cause – action effected your life both in past and present; the damage done to your basic needs (social, security or sexual); then honestly determine what part you are responsible for.  Ask God to show you your part.  We want to make a strong point in those areas of abuse – when you come to the area of what part did you have responsibility for –write NONE or NOT GUILTY – begin feeling freedom from the shame and guilt you have been carrying around with you. Finally, share those areas you wrote with someone you trust, that accountability partner or trusted friend.  This road is not to be traveled alone.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. (Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10)

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony….  (Revelation 12:11)

He is able to do abundantly beyond anything that we can think or ask. (Ephesians 3:20)

Ladies, as you are writing your inventory, this is an amazing journey to healing and freedom.  Our Heavenly Father wants to give you anything you can ask for and more.  This is not to be taken lightly as you have carried around these hurts, habits, or hang-ups for some time now.  It may not go away overnight; however know that He has already overcome the world (John 16:33).

I want to circle back around to “create in me a clean heart.”  Read on in Psalm 51, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.  T

hen I will teach transgressors your ways,

so that sinners will turn back to you

” (verses 12, 13).  Your journey of confessing your faults, taking time with the Lord, writing your inventory, and sharing with your accountability partner will restore your joy. And it could be such an encouragement for someone God may place in your path that needs to hear your story (His story) at just the right place and just the right time! You will forget the past and look forward to the finish line He has prepared for you.  As Leslie challenged us on Tuesday: Are you ready to take this step and transform your life?

 

 

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Let’s Pray:

Oh, Father, we come and sit at Your feet with humbled hearts.  You know we have made both good and bad choices.  Your word says be strong and courageous that You will never leave us nor forsake us.  Father, that is what we are asking, that You give us the strength and courage to follow through this step in chipping away at our past hurts or habits and sharing with a trusted person – one You have placed in our path. Thank You for each woman You have placed in this study; bless them Father.  Take away any guilt or shame they have or are feeling and replace that with the joy and peace that only You can give. We thank You for taking us on this journey and showing us Your incomparable grace.  We love You Lord.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

Your Assignment:

Pray first then begin writing and sharing your inventory.  Take quiet time with the Lord this weekend.  As you begin writing, go to our Facebook group and share with us a scripture God has shown you this week through this step.

_______________________

If you are interested in joining us for the online Bible study, click HERE.

Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details.

If you would like to send a private message to Laurie in regards to this blog,

please email her at Laurie@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

 

 

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Life’s Healing Choices: Week 2 – Truth About God

January 15, 2013 by

Today, as we continue to explore Choice 2 (the Hope Choice), we are going to talk in detail about the three magnificent truths about God:

1) God exists

2) I matter to Him

3) He has the power to help me.

My daughter loves to do science experiments. I realized how quiet she was one afternoon. I looked around the house and noticed she was on the back deck. She had a box of baking powder, 3 cups with water, and a bottle of vinegar. She wanted me to come watch her amazing (trick) experiment she learned at church. She showed me what would happen when adding different amounts of baking soda and vinegar to the cups. She smiled and giggled after showing me the cause and effect from her volcanic eruption experiment.

My reason for the story relates to belief in God. Do you believe God exists? The Bible makes it clear that belief in God is essential: “Anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” Hebrews 11:6. Most people do acknowledge that God exists. Where there is an effect, there must be a cause, (just like the example of the volcanic experiment shown from my daughter). We can see that where there is creation, there must be a Creator. “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities–His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20. (NLT)

Ok, so most people believe God exists; but the bigger question is, do you believe you matter to Him? The reason a lot of us don’t know we matter to God is that we don’t really know what God is like. I remember right before I started my walk, I asked everyone I could to tell me what God is like. I even had a few tell me I could create who I wanted my God to be and the qualities I wanted from Him. Our personal perception of God is not what matters. What does matter is the truth of who He really is. This is where we have a hard time with trust. It’s very difficult trying to trust something or someone that we do not know about or understand. John Baker said in this chapter, “Until we know God’s true character, we can’t completely trust Him.”

Growing up, I had a very hard time with trust due to my relationship with my father and a few male relationships in my teens. Unfortunately, these feelings and hurts carried into my adulthood until this past year. I had a very hard time trusting, especially males. Our relationship with our parents can actually affect what our perception of our Heavenly Father might be. The truth is, as humans we are flawed. These flaws result in treating each other in hurtful and unloving ways. The truth is, God is love and can be nothing but love. We must be careful not to confuse our experiences with man/men with the reality of who God is.

King David had much sorrow in his life, and he said of God, “You have listened to my troubles and have seen the crisis of my soul.” Our situations in life are the same. Whatever you’re going through right now, Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in spirit. “Psalm 34:18”. God’s character shows us just how great His love is for us by sending Christ to die for us. I don’t know about you, but I think this is what gives me the trust in my Heavenly Father. God’s compassion for His children is so incredible and unconditional! How does that make you feel knowing God loves you so much and cares about every hurt that has you heartbroken?

In Psalm 56:8 (NLT) says: “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” We may think nobody knows what we are going through, or can’t understand what happened…but God does. God knows us, cares about us and can change the situation.

Lastly, I would like you to really think about this question. What hurt, hang-up, or habit today, or from the past, just doesn’t seem to go away, such as a dead relationship, or even an addiction? Does this situation seem hopeless to ever change? I didn’t think my situation would ever change; in fact, I truly felt absolutely hopeless! Not one person ever told me that I would ever be healthy again. My doctors told me at one point, I was probably going to die, or continue to have shock treatments and hospitalization for my major depression for the rest of my life. Talk about feeling hopeless! But today, I laugh as I write this. Reason being, I know God has the power to change a situation because He sure changed mine! I no longer feel that deep depression and the desire to die any longer. I have been delivered from that agonizing depression deep in my soul and I feel great joy to be alive. Now this IS a miracle of healing that is only of God!

I DECLARE HE HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE YOU AND YOUR SITUATION!

Let’s Pray:

Father, we come to You today because we believe in You. We can trust that You are always with us and care so much for us. Thank You God for showing us Your great love by sending Christ to die for us. Lord, we believe You have power to change us and our situations that have seemed so hopeless. Lord, we thank You for Your love and the hope we find in You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Your Assignment:

Write down what situations you have been dealing with that have seemed hopeless to ever change. Then ask yourself, do I now feel and believe in my heart, that God can change it? Write it, pray about it, and please share it. (Remember this is a PUBLIC forum. You do have the ability to sign in anonymously, if you wish.)

If you are interested in joining this Online Bible Study, and becoming a member of our private online discussion group, please click HERE to sign up. Once you are registered, we will email you further details.

If you would like to send a private message to Leslie in regards to this blog, please email her at: Leslie@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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